Car-coupling



UNiTEE STATES ATENTv OFFICE.

ALEEED E. POLAND, OE MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming pari'. of Letters Patent No. 268,823, dated December-12, 1882.

l Application filed July 3,1892. (No model.)

- To all whom it may concern:

i is a perspective view of one of the draw-bars Be it known that I, ALFRED EDGAR P0- LAND, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Gar- Gouplings, ot' which the following is aV specification.

lhis invention relates to car-couplings; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter shown, and as specifically claimed.

f ln the drawings, Figure lis a side view, and

` Fig. 2 is a plan view, of portions of the ends of two freight-cars, showing my improvements attached thereto. Fig. 3 is an end view ofone ot' the cars. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional plan view of the couplings detached from the car and coupled together; and Fig. 5 is a similar view, showing them disconnected. Fig. 6

and hook or jaw detached; and Fig. 7 is a view Ot' one of the .jaws or hooks detached, Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 boing on the same scale.

MA' A2 are portions of two car-bodies; B, the trucks, and C the track, all arranged in the ordinary manner.

'Ilie main part of the coupling consists in a cast-iron piece, D, suspended by straps ct between side timbers, E E, at their front ends, and provided with a pivoted bar or rod, b, running` back through a cross-timber or bulkhead, E, and with the usual spring or springs, e. -The rod b thus forms the draw-bai"7 of the coupling.

Y Upon' the forward ends of the casing D are projecting bars g h, the bar g usually cast in one piece with the oasingD and made straight, and the bar h usually formed of steel and bolted or riveted fast to the casing and wit-h its outer end curved outward, as shown; or both bars may be Vcast in one piece with the casing D, or both formed separately and bolted fast thereto. The bar g is larger and longer than the bar le., as they serve the double purpose of bumpers and guides, as hereinafter shown. Between the bars g L, partially within the casing D, is pivoted at t' a hooked or barbed jaw, F, held up against a piu or stop, K, by a spring, m. By this construction, when two of these couplings come together, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the bar g of the. first coupling will pass between the bar h and hook F of the second coupling, while the har g of the second coupling will pass between the bar h and hook F of the first coupling, and the two hooks will interlock. The barbs on the hooks F will be of a length to allow some pla-y be-V tween the ends of the bars g and the ends of the casings D, so that some end movement will be allowed to the couplings in slacking up77 a train of cars.

Through the sides ofthe hooks F and bars r1 slots are formed to receive the ends of bars G. These bars Gare adapted to be moved inward and outward by a lever, H', and set and held either inward or outward by a springdog, r, actuated by pressing the trip El2 at the top of the car or lil'tingon the handle H3 from the ground, so that the bar G may be operated either from the top of the car or from the ground. By forcing the bar Ginward the op` posing barb on the hook F will be thrown oli' and the cars uncoupled. Only one of the hars G need 'ne moved to uncouple the cars; but by having them upon all the couplings the cars may be uncoupled from eitherV side or on topfrom either car.

It frequently happens that cars are required to be pushed along without coupling, in which event one of thebars G is pushed inward and locked in that position, as shown in Fig. 5, so that the beveled rear edge ofthe bar Gr forms an incline over which the hooks F pass and repass without catching upon each other, so that the cars may be bumped together without coupling. Y

One of the great advantages ofthe bars g h is that in turning short curves they hold the hooks F against each other and prevent the cars uncoupling.

What I claim as newisl. In a car-coupler, casing D, having castiron bar g and curved steel bar h, in combination with hook F, pivoted therein, both bar g and hook F having slots therein, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The casing D, draw-bar I), guide-hars y 7L,

and hook F, in combination with lever IGr, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED EDGAR POLAND.

Witnesses:

H. P. HEARING, R. W. CUMMINGS IOO 

